Submitting to non-UK publihsers

[bluejt2000]

Hi,

Is it worthwhile for a UK-based writer to work submit to US publishers?

I ask because I'm in the process of writing a mystery novel and there seems to be many more publishers of that genre in the USA.

Thanks,

John

[NaCl]

Of course...go where the money is. Although, I would suggest you seek a US literary agent to represent you as the US market seems heavily dependent on those "connections" to gain entrance into most major US publishers.

[bluejt2000]

Thanks for your reply, NaCl.

I mainly asked because I'd heard somewhere that US markets are usually close to non-US writers.

[Rei]

I've also seen that in Canada we seem to be fond of mysteries. As long as the guidelines don't say "only Canadian" which some do, they are happy to take submissions from anywhere.

[NaCl]

Thanks for your reply, NaCl.

I mainly asked because I'd heard somewhere that US markets are usually close to non-US writers.

Not so...like all US companies, they're all whores who will bed with anyone that might bring them a profit! LOL

[Lemex]

I'm glad this question was asked as I have been thinking about this too.
I've been thinking of submitting a story to Weird Tales.
Like my hero H.P. Lovecraft.

[Cogito]

There are differences in spelling between US English and UK English, and some other SPaG matters that could cause a manuscript that is acceptable in a UK market to be rejected by a US publisher.

I doubt a US publisher will be prepared to accept all UK-isms as correct. It would be difficult for said publisher to distinguish whether some anomalies are wrong in both dialects or are correct for UK, and even harder to be sure you aren't mixing te two dialects poorly (i.e. using Americainsms where a UK variant is appropriate).

Unless you can write fluently in the US dialect of English, you are probably setting yourself up for failure.

[bluejt2000]

The novel I'm writing is a medieval murder mystery, so the language will be about as UK English as you can get! I have seen such novels published by US companies, though, Caroll and Graf being one of them. Perhaps the novels in questsion were first puiblished in the UK and then by a different company in the US?

I know it's difficult to get a MS acepted, but I find it hard to continue writing unless I know that at least there is a market out there, and there doesn't seem to be that many UK publishers of this genre.

Thanks for the replies so far, everyone.

John

[NaCl]

I would not let the potential market discourage me from writing a novel that I love. I would just write it! Then, after I have the satisfaction of completing the manuscript I would begin querying literary agents...yes, in the USA as well as the UK. While Cog may be correct about writing biases against UK-glish, I do not believe that any American publisher would turn away a truly outstanding story. So, while your prospects might diminish based on your colloquial wording, if the story is captivating, somebody will want it.

By the way, larger US publishing companies also sell in "foreign" markets. Why wouldn't they be thrilled to pick up a great book for distribution in the UK? Of course they would! Especially if they smell profits!